Haunted
by Maeki
Summary: Echizen Ryoma was taken from them, from right under their noses. Now, he's back. A completely different person. TezuRyo, Golden Pair
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **Anything you recognise here, I don't own.

**PROLOGUE**

_**24th December, 3:56 AM**_

It was a cold and windy night.

_"Echizen!"_

_"Senpai! Help!"_

Fuji Syuusuke woke up in cold sweat, the familiar voice echoing in his ears. The very same voice that has haunted him for 4 whole years.

**---**

_"Senpai!_

"Ahhhhhhh!" Momoshiro Takeshi woke up screaming.

"Momo-niisan! Are you ok?!"

**---**

_"Oishi-senpai!"_

Oishi Syuichiro sat up against his headboard, his arms burying his head in his knees. He's not getting any sleep that night.

**---**

"Eiji! Please! You need to get some sleep!"

Kikumaru Eiji stubbornly refused; because he knew that the voice with follow him into his dreams.

**---**

Inui Sadaharu sat in front of his computer, not moving. It was back again, and he couldn't do anything to stop it.

And this time, his data wasn't there to help him.

**---**

"Go away! Stupid voice! Leave me alone!" It didn't listen, and for the first time in a long time, he cried himself to sleep.

Kaidou Kaoru has never felt quite as helpless as he did right then.

**---**

Kawamura Takashi looked at his handiwork. Picking one up from his hand, he taste his sushi and spat it out immediately.

'Too much vinegar,' he thought. He knew that he wasn't only referring to the rice.

**---**

_"Buchou!"_

Tezuka Kunimitsu laid on his bed, wide awake. He had promised to become the Pillar of Seigaku, and he had failed.

Yamato-buchou, himself and Echizen, the boy who believed in him.

**END PROLOGUE**

**A gentle reminder: **This is only the prologue, so please don't flame me for making it so short.


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer in Prologue**

**CHAPTER 01**

_**24th December, 6:33 PM**_

"Kikumaru-san," Fuji nodded in greeting, his face void of any emotion.

"Fuji-san," Eiji flinched before replying impassively.

It has been like this since 4 years ago. A certain former Seigaku regular would see another Seigaku regular and they would exchange polite greetings, then they will move on with their life. No chatting, no hugging and no "oh hey! I haven't seen _you_ in a while!" They might have 4 years ago, but time changes everything. After the loss of their freshman regular, everything changed. The former regulars broke apart, no longer as close as they were before. Everybody pointed accusing fingers at everybody else and it was inevitable that the team spirit shattered into a million pieces.

They stared at each other for a while more before Fuji made the first move to walk away. Just as Fuji walked past Eiji, Eiji spoke up suddenly, "wait!" Fuji stopped, his back facing his former best friend. Eiji hesitated, took a deep breathe and continued, "... coffee. Do you want to get some coffee?" Fuji remained silent for a long time. If it had been 4 years ago, he would have agreed almost immediately.

Eiji almost gave up hope before he heard Fuji's soft reply, "fine. But only for a while." In silence, the pair walked down the streets to the nearest coffee shop, Caffineteria. As they walked into the crowded coffee shop, it started snowing more heavily.

After choosing a seat in the utmost corner where it's quietest and placing their orders, they remained silent as their orders came. Holding his coffee in his hands, Eiji looked down, not saying anything. Opposite him, Fuji looked like he wanted nothing more than to walk out of the shop. Nothing could ease the tension between them. The thorns were sank in too deep to be plucked out.

"So what was it you wanted?" Fuji asked.

"I..." Eiji stopped himself from saying _"I want the team back. Like how they used to be"._ He chose to say, "I wanted to know how you were" instead.

"I've been better," Fuji replied shortly. Eiji winced. He knew why Fuji was being so cold and he couldn't blame him.

"I... see... that's good."

"If that's all, I'll be taking my leave." Fuji stood up to leave. "Wait! Please." The voice sounded pathetic even to Eiji, but he couldn't help it. "I... want to be friends again." Fuji opened his eyes to reveal piercing blue pupils. He gave a humourless laugh. "Unless you can turn back time, I doubt that that's possible. I'll be taking my leave now. Goodbye." Then, he turned and walked out of the door without looking back.

Eiji slumped in his seat. 'Baka! Baka Eiji! You _knew _that he would react like hat! Why do you even bother?' Eiji surpressed a sob making its way up his throat. 'If only, if only I had been stronger. Maybe we would still have Ochibi with us and the team would still be a team.'

Unknown to him, Fuji was also having his own internal battle. 'I'm sorry Eiji. I'm sorry for hurting you, for hurting the team. For not being able to prevent all these from happening, even though I was the closest to Echizen when he was taken.' He vaguely wondered when the rest were now. He wondered where Echizen was now. If he was still alive.

As he continued walking, he unconciously stopped outside of Kawamura Sushi. Fuji chuckled to himself. Those were the times. As he was about to continue walking, a voice stopped him dead in his tracks. "Fuji-senpai," a voice came from behind. As he turned around, he saw a much taller Momoshiro standing there. Out of everyone, Momo was the most affected by Echizen's... disappearance. Which was logical, because he was the closest to Echizen. He had moped around, went in and out of school and missed tennis practices, which eventually led to the loss of his regular seat.

"Momoshiro." No more Momo. Only Momoshiro.

There was silence between them as they exchanged stares. Finally, Momo cracked a small smile and pointed at the shop with his thumb, "want to go in?" Fuji was about to say no before he was dragged into the shop. Typical Momo.

"Welcome!" Another familiar voice filled his ears. The third voice seemed to have gone in shock for a while, before saying, "please, take a seat!" Momo and Fuji sat down in front of the sushi chef. "It's been a long time, Momo, Fuji." Kawamura said. To say that he was surprised would be an understatement. Ever since the team broke up, he wasn't sure that they would see each other again.

"Yes it has."

"Aa." Fuji didn't know what to say. Here were 2 of the people he hasn't seen since he graduated and neither were asking him why he didn't help Echizen back then. Momo had more than enough reasons to. Fuji kept quiet as Taka and Momo chatted like nothing had happened 4 years ago. Both of them tried to strike up a conversation with him a few times, but they were rewarded with one sentenced answers from him.

Finally, Fuji couldn't take it anymore and he said, "I'll be taking my leave now. Thank you for the sushi." After placing his money on the counter, he left quickly. In the shop, Taka and Momo looked at the door. They remembered very well what happened that fateful day, but they didn't think that it would affect _Fuji_ so badly.

Fuji hoped against all hopes that he wouldn't be meeting anyone else from the former regular team that night. Fate had it in for him apparently, because as he walked down the street towards the Pizza Planet, he met Tezuka.

No words were exchanged between them, no stares, nothing. Tezuka just nodded at him and walked off. And Fuji just stood there, his guilt returning full force. A week before Echizen's disappearance, he had somehow dragged the truth from Tezuka: the stoic Tezuka had a crush on arrogant boy wonder Echizen.

"Tezuka," he called out. Tezuka stopped but didn't turn. "I'm sorry." Tezuka didn't say anything and continued walking. 'Still as cold as ever, Tezuka?' Beginning to feel the pain again, Fuji decided to head home. Just as he rounded the bend, a pair of cat-like, golden eyes caught his attention. The eyes widened and said in shock, "Fuji-senpai?" Fuji knew he looked ridiculous, standing there and staring with his eyes so big but he couldn't help it.

It wasn't every day you meet your supposedly kidnapped ex-teammate on the streets after 4 years of him being gone. "E... chi... zen?"

**END CHAPTER 01**

**A big thank you **to those who cared enough to review!


End file.
